The baby name Kate came to be in the Middle Ages. The English created a more informal version of the name Katherine through the name Kate. It is now a standalone name with many celebrities using the name for their own, including popular actress Kate Winslet.
Meaning of the name Kate:
English: pure
Origin of the name Kate:
The baby name Kate was created in England as a diminutive and nickname for the traditional name Katherine. This shortened name has been in existence in England since the Middle Ages. The name became popular throughout the world due to Shakespeare's character in “Taming of the Shrew.”
Symbolism of the name Kate:
The baby name Kate is used as a standalone name now, though it was originally a shortened form of Katherine. Despite this current standing, the baby name does still retain the original meaning that Katherine has too of “pure.”
Style of the name Kate:
Traditional
Gender of the name Kate:
Kate began as being short for Katherine, which is also a female name.
Pronunciation of the name Kate:
KAYT
Number of syllables in the name Kate:
One
Emotion evoked from the name Kate:
The baby name Kate is simple and more informal than the longer Katherine. It does still feel refined and classy, however.
Alternative spellings for the name Kate:
- Cate
- Cayte
- Kayte
- Kait
- Cait
- Kaite
- Caite
Nicknames for the name Kate:
Popularity of the name Kate:
Kate was only on the top 200 list of the Social Security Index in the year 1900 at number 180 before it began to rapidly decline. As of the year 2002, however, it came back onto this top 200 list for eight years, then again in 2011 for three years. Kate has now declined in popularity again, however, ranking at number 411 overall.
Related names for the name Kate:
Great middle names for Kate and their meanings:
- Evanna (peaceful)
- Amelia (work)
- Eloise (healthy, wide)
- Emily (wily, persuasive)
- Joanna (God is gracious)
- Carolina (free man, joy)
- Lenora (sun ray)
Famous people with the name Kate:
- Kate Winslet (actress, “Titanic”)
- Kate Hudson (actress, “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”)
- Kate Mara (actress, “Fantastic Four”)
- Kate O'Toole (actress, “The Tudors”)
- Kate Tunstall (singer, “Other Side of the World”)
- Kate Micucci (singer, actress, “The Little Hours”)
- Kate Moss (professional supermodel)
Kates in popular culture:
- Kate Lloyd (character from “The Thing” series)
- Kate Wetherall (character from “The Mysterious Benedict Society”)
- Kate Connolly (character from “The Scorpio Races”)
- Kate Randall (character from “Pretty Little Liars”)
- Kate Pearson (character from “This is Us”)